A streak of crimson light burst forth from Evan Chu's fist as the holy power left behind by the Bloodshadow Berserker Lion was completely unleashed. His fist instantly swelled to several times its original size, radiating a terrifying aura.
"Millennial Tree Fiend, taste my Lion Spirit Fist!" Evan Chu endured the agonizing swelling in his fist and struck out with a rapid, thunderous punch.
A world-shattering blow erupted, and Evan Chu's fist landed directly on the Millennial Tree Fiend's energy source core.
Boom! A deafening explosion erupted before Evan Chu, his entire fist plunging into the energy source core as a torrent of green liquid sprayed out.
The Millennial Tree Fiend let out an earth-shaking scream under the impact, its voice thunderous and echoing for hundreds of miles.
Heaven Ape's heart trembled as he heard the cry; only a Saint Martial Realm powerhouse could produce such a sound—a scream of soul-rending agony. It meant Evan Chu was inflicting unimaginable pain on his foe.
He was stunned that Evan Chu could defeat a Saint Martial Realm expert—such a feat was unheard of, and could only be described as terrifying.
The tremendous noise also alarmed the Life-and-Death Grove's overseer, the Southern Hall Lord. At that moment, the Northern Hall Lord happened to be visiting. Hearing the commotion, the Northern Hall Lord remarked:
"That sound seems to be coming from inside the Life-and-Death Grove. I never expected such a powerhouse to reside here—it's truly unbelievable. Should we go take a look?"
"The Life-and-Death Grove is a bizarre and dangerous place. I don't know who might be inside, but since Hall Lord Fox wants to check it out, I'll accompany you," said the Southern Hall Lord.
The two Hall Lords promptly left the palace and sped toward the Life-and-Death Grove. Meanwhile, after shattering the Millennial Tree Fiend's energy source core, Evan Chu felt utterly drained, as though his body was about to fall apart—he collapsed to his knees, powerless.
At that moment, the green liquid from the energy source core erupted continuously, instantly dyeing the area around Evan Chu in vibrant green—a surge of unimaginable life force.
"Evan, quickly absorb that liquid! Let the little fox do the same—this is the Millennial Tree Fiend's energy essence accumulated over tens of thousands of years. It's pure wood-element essence, on par with the Wood Spirit Pearl!" the Sword Spirit exclaimed excitedly.
Evan Chu was thrilled at the thought. Energy cultivated over tens of thousands of years—if absorbed, it could easily push him through several realms. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Violet Thunder Fox appeared at once. Evan Chu immediately shouted, "Alex, absorb the green liquid—take in as much as you can!"
The Violet Thunder Fox sensed the terrifying energy and instantly revealed her five-tailed true form, beginning to absorb the essence.
Evan Chu wasn't idle either—he began frantically absorbing the green liquid, which instantly transformed into a surge of powerful life force, flooding every cell of his body with vitality.
Evan Chu felt as if he were being reborn—the sensation was even more intense than when he broke through with the Starforge Body. His exhaustion vanished, replaced by newfound vigor.
The Violet Thunder Fox's purple radiance grew brighter and brighter. Man and beast sat within the Millennial Tree Fiend's body, absorbing without pause, unaware that a crowd was gathering outside.
After Evan Chu shattered the Millennial Tree Fiend's energy source core, its colossal body was revealed—a towering ancient tree appeared in the heart of the Life-and-Death Grove.
The sight of such a massive tree appearing here filled everyone outside the Life-and-Death Grove with dread—it was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Heaven Ape gazed at the colossal ancient tree, lost in thought. It seemed likely that the earlier commotion was caused by Evan Chu and this tree, though he couldn't fathom how Evan managed to reveal its true form.
Many monster beasts, now in human form, gossiped about the towering tree's sudden appearance. Most agreed that the Life-and-Death Grove's terrifying reputation—and the fact that beasts rarely returned—must be linked to this tree.
"Fox Hall Lord, should we go in and take a look?" asked the Bear Hall Lord of the Southern Hall.
"I think we should wait a bit longer. Haven't you noticed that Heaven Ape, that old immortal, is here too? His Western Hall is thousands of miles from here, so why show up now? Doesn't that strike you as odd?" said the Fox Hall Lord.
"You're right, something's off. It's as if he already knew what would happen here. With his cunning nature, he wouldn't show up blindly—especially since this is my territory," said the Bear Hall Lord.
"Bear Hall Lord, let's just watch for now. This is no simple matter—if Heaven Ape makes a move, we'll follow. I suspect this giant tree is a spirit monster of extraordinary power. We must be cautious," said the Fox Hall Lord.
The fox clan was known for their cunning and thorough analysis, and the Bear Hall Lord had no choice but to heed his advice.
After revealing its true body, the Millennial Tree Fiend's leaves began to yellow, its entire form trembling uncontrollably from the immense pain.
The tremors shook the ground like an earthquake, making it impossible for anyone to stand firm. Beasts at the edge of the Life-and-Death Grove took to the skies, watching the scene from afar.
Leaves kept falling from the branches, soon carpeting the ground a meter thick. Within moments, the once lush forest for hundreds of miles around was stripped bare.
Meanwhile, the Millennial Tree Fiend began to shrink. Evan Chu and the Violet Thunder Fox were oblivious to what was happening outside; the rush of power from absorbing the green liquid was so overwhelming they couldn't stop.
"Evan, the Millennial Tree Fiend is withering. It looks like it's aging now that the energy source core is destroyed. You two need to get out of here fast—store as much of the green liquid as you can in your storage ring and absorb it slowly later. There's a ton of life essence all around!
Hurry and collect as much as possible! And the Wood Spirit Pearl you need is inside the energy source core. The Millennial Tree Fiend is shrinking fast—once it's the size of a normal tree, you won't be able to escape," the Sword Spirit urged anxiously.
Evan Chu immediately stopped absorbing and told the Violet Thunder Fox, "Alex, gather as much life essence as you can—we have to get out of here now!"
Without another word, Evan Chu rushed to the spot where he'd broken the energy source core. He reached inside—and pulled out a glowing green bead...